Exposition of Job 15-17, Commentary on Job · Chapter 16

Exposition of Job 15-17 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 16

p. 345JOB, CHAP. 16. Verſ. 18, 19.

O Earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

Alſo now, behold my witneſſe is in Heaven, and my record is on high.

JOB having (with much confidence) aſſerted the integrity of his heart, and the righteouſneſſe of his way, both towards God and Man, confirmes what he had thus confidently aſſerted, by a double Argument.

Firſt, By a vehement imprecation (Verſ. 18.) O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

Secondly, By a free appeale, an appeale to God himſelfe (Verſ. 19.) Alſo now behold my witneſſe is in Heaven, and my record is on high: He ſhewes the neceſſity of this appeale (Verſ. 20.) My Freinds ſcorne me: therefore I am conſtrained to goe to God. When men have done us wrong, and will not doe us right, it is both time and duty to appeale to God. Upon this ground Job appeales,Eſt juramenti deprecatorii forma, quo aſſeverat nullius ſibi iniquitatis conſ…ium eſſe. Aben. Ezra. and he concludes (according to our tranſlation) his appeale, with a paſſionate, yet holy wiſh (Verſ. 21.) O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his Neighbour. The reaſon both of his appeale and wiſh, is given us further (Verſ. 22.) he looked on himſelfe, as a man ſtanding upon the very confines of death, the Grave was ready for him; therefore hee beggs, that this buſineſſe might be diſpatched, and his integrity cleared before hee dyed. Hee was loath to goe out of the World, like a Candle, burnt downe to the Socket, with an ill ſavour. He that hath lived unſtained in his reputation, cannot well beare it, to dye with a blot; and therefore he will be diligent by all due meanes to maintaine the credit which he hath got, and to recover what he hath loſt: This was the reaſon of Jobs importunity diſcovered in theſe two Verſes, now further to be opened.

p. 346Verſ. 18. O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

There are two branches of this imprecation, or rather theſe make two diſtinct imprecations.

The firſt in theſe words, O earth, cover not thou my blood.

The ſecond in theſe, Let my cry have no place.

Job engages all upon the truth of what he had ſayd, being willing that his worſt might be ſeen, and his beſt not heard, if he had not ſpoken truth.

O earth, cover not thou my blood.

Poeticum ſane & patheticum in dolore aut re alia graviſſima, res mutas mortuaſve, omni ſenſu audituque carentes teſtes & auditores compellare.Job ſpeaks pathetically, or, as ſome render him, Poetically, while he beſpeakes the earth, and makes the inanimate creature his hearer. The ſacred Pen-men doe often turne their ſpeech to the Heavens, and to the Earth: Thus Moſes (Deut. 32.2.) in the Preface of his Sermon, his laſt Sermon to that people, Give eare O yee Heavens, and I will ſpeak, and hear O earth the words of my mouth. So the Prophet Iſaiah (Chap. 1.2.) Heare O Heavens, and give eare O Earth, I have nouriſhed, and brought up Children, and they have rebelled againſt me: God ſpeaks to that which hath no eares, to heare, eyther to reprove thoſe who have eares, but heare not; or to raiſe up and provoke their attention in hearing. Thus Job, O earth, &c. as if the earth were able to take his complaint, and returne an anſwer; as if the earth were able to make inquiſition, and bring in a verdict about his blood.

O earth [cover] not thou my blood.

foreign texit, operuit, abſcondit.The word ſignifies not onelyonly common, but a twofold metaphoricall covering.

Firſt, Covering by way of diſſimulation; to diſſemble a matter, is to cover a matter: In that ſenſe Solomon ſpeakes (Prov. 12.16.) A fooles wra…h is preſently knowne, but a prudent man covereth ſhame: that is, He diſſembleth his wrath, or his anger, he will not let it alway break forth, for that would be a ſhame to him.

Secondly, The word ſignifies to cover by forgetfulneſſe: That which is not remembred, is hid or covered. (Eccleſ. 6.4.) He commeth in with vanity (ſpeaking of man) and departeth p. 347in darkneſſe, and his name ſhall be covered with darkneſſe: that is, He ſhall be forgotten, hee ſhall be as if hee had not beene. And thus it is applyed to the pardon of ſin (Pſal. 32.1.) Sin is vailed with the worthineſſe and obedience of Chriſt, as with a Garment, and is to God as a thing forgotten, or out of minde, when once it is forgiven: In both theſe ſenſes Job ſeemes to beſpeak the earth, O earth, cover not my blood: Sanguis terra tegitur quando facinus diſſimulatur, nec vindictam expoſcit.that is, If thou haſt any of my blood, doe not diſſemble it, bring it forth, be not as if thou kneweſt of no ſuch matter. As ſimulation makes that to be, which is not, ſo diſſimulation makes that not to be, which is.

Againe, Cover not my blood; that is, Forget it not, if thou haſt ſuch a record upon thy Fyle, let it be continued and remembred, that the Generations to come may judge how I have been dealt with by this preſent age, or how I have dealt in it.

O earth, cover not my [blood.]

But what is his [blood] which he would not have covered? His blood may be taken two wayes.

Firſt, Paſſively, for his ſufferings and grievous afflictions, which were even to blood: The Apoſtle tels the Hebrews, Ye have not reſiſted to blood, ſtriving againſt ſin (Heb. 12.4.) There is a threefold ſtrife againſt ſin.

Firſt, Againſt ſin already acting and moving in our ſelves.

Secondly, There is a ſtriving againſt that ſin which others move us to act, whether by promiſes, or by threatnings.

Thirdly, There is a ſtriving againſt that ſin which others act.

The Apoſtle (as I conceive) intends one of, or both the latter ſorts of ſtriving againſt ſin, which is indeed a ſtriving againſt ſinners; and in this ſtrife he ſaith, Ye have not reſiſted unto blood; yee have (I grant) reſiſted, to the loſſe of your goods, yea, and to the loſſe of your credit and reputation in the World (Chap. 10.33, 34.) but know, yee are not come to the heat of the Battell, till your bodies bleed:Ne tegas ſanguinem meum. i. e. injuriam mihi latam qua innocens pereo. Merc. yee have loſt no blood yet, ſtriving againſt ſin. Job reſiſted, or rather ſubmitted to blood; he had loſt blood, in the great fight of affliction which he indured; hee was wounded all over. Now, ſay ſome, he cryes, O earth, cover not my blood; that is, Theſe p. 348my bloody ſufferings; what I have endured, let it be remembred. But we cannot well accommodate this interpretation to the Text: For, firſt, there may be as much vanity in deſiring the evils wee have ſuffered, as the good wee have done ſhould be knowne: we muſt let God alone to erect the monument of our ſufferings; that muſt be none of our care.

Secondly, Wee cannot ſo much as ſuſpect that Job would maintaine the memory of his ſufferings againſt God; yet it was he who ſmote Job, though by the hand of Satan, and wicked men: This Job had acknowledged more then once, with much humble ſubmiſſion, and therefore hee doth not deſire that his blood might be forth-comming in a way of conteſtation with him. Further, If we looke onelyonly to thoſe inſtruments of his affliction, who had indeed done him wrong: Surely the ſpirit of this good man, as it was farr from meditating revenge, ſo his ſcope and buſineſſe here, was rather to bring himſelfe to a tryall then them, rather to have his owne innocency cleered, then their guilt proved: And therefore we have called theſe words, an imprecation upon himſelfe, in caſe he were guilty, not an accuſation of their guiltineſſe. In purſuance of which generall ſenſe, we muſt expound blood under another notion. And therefore,

Secondly, Blood may be taken actively, and ſo it falls under a threefold conſideration.

Firſt, Blood is put for the generall ſinfulneſſe or corruption of mans nature, as alſo for any particular ſin, as it is wrapt up in mans naturall corruption.Auguſtine. One of the Ancients interprets Davids prayer (Pſal. 51.14.) Deliver me from blood, or bloods, or (as we render) from blood-guiltineſſe, O God; not of that ſpeciall ſin, or not of that onelyonly, the death of Ʋriah, but of all ſin, which (ſaith he) therefore beares that title, becauſe it flowes from the polluted nature of man, which the Scripture calls fleſh and blood. That of the Prophet is more proper to this point (Ezek. 16.6.) When thou waſt in thy blood, I ſayd unto thee live: that is, When thou was wrapt in, and defiled with thy ſin and miſery, then I had pitty on thee, and ſpake life into thee. Every ſoule tumbles in blood till it is ſprinkled with blood; our blood is our filthineſſe, and the blood of Chriſt is our holineſſe, freeing us at once from the guilt, and from the ſtaine of ſin. This corruption of p. 349nature, together with that iſſue of it, the tranſgreſſions of life may be called bloud, for two reaſons.

Firſt, Becauſe it deſerves death, and is a ſtate of death, wee are dead in ſin, and the wages of ſin is death; and as any kinde of death may be expreſſed by blood, ſo a violent death is the pouring out of blood.

Secondly, It may be called blood, becauſe ſin is expiated by blood, and without ſhedding of blood there is no remiſſion; no not of the leaſt ſin.

Secondly, Blood ſignifies ſome notorious ſin or ſins. Great ſins are not onelyonly bloody ſins,Sanguinis nomine intelligitur peccatum graviſſimum, ac deteſtandum facinus. but (in Scripture language) blood. (Iſa. 1.15.) When yee make many prayers, I will not heare: Why? For your hands are full of blood; that is, Of great and foule crimes: For ſhould wee take blood there, for any ſin, according to the former interpretation, then whoſe prayer ſhall be heard? Who is it that ſins not, yea, who is not full of ſin? So that by hands full of blood, he meanes hands ſtained with great ſins; or with ſins, if ſmall in themſelves, yet, (which greatens the leaſt ſin) loved and unrepented of (Ezek. 9.9.) Thus ſaith the Lord, The iniquity of the Houſe of Iſrael, and Judah, is exceeding great, and the Land is full of blood; that is, Of all kinde of wickedneſſe (Ezek. 24.7.) For her blood is in the middeſt of her, ſhee ſet it upon the top of a rock, ſhee poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with duſt: Which words deſcribe, as the ſin of Jeruſalem, ſo her impudence in ſinning. Her blood was in the midſt of her, it was not caſt behinde the doore, or put into a corner, Shee ſet it upon a rock, and not onelyonly ſo, but upon the top of a rock; as if ſhee not onelyonly cared not who ſaw it, but had taken care that all might ſee it, Shee poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with duſt: In which words the Prophet alludes to that Law (Levit. 17.13.) commanding that the blood of a Beaſt ſhould be poured out, and covered with duſt. And againe (Hoſ. 4.2.) By ſwearing, and killing, and ſtealing, and committing adultery; they breake out, and blood toucheth blood; that is, One wickedneſſe is heaped upon another. There is an aggregation,Aggr…gant peccata, peccatis. Chald. or a combination of many ſins together, their ſins are ſo thick ſet, that there is not the leaſt ſpace, eyther of time or place betweene them; they ſin continually, and they ſin contiguouſly, ſin toucheth ſin.

p. 350Thirdly, By blood in this active ſenſe, we may underſtand thoſe ſpeciall ſins which draw blood; the ſin of oppreſſion, and the ſin of murder. The Scriptures laſt cited, include theſe principally, though not theſe alone, or not theſe excluſively to other ſins. Sins of cruelty are often called blood by name, and ſuch are named bloody men, who commit ſuch ſins (Pſal. 55.24.) Blood-thirſty and deceitfull men ſhall not live out halfe their dayes; that is, Murderers, and Oppreſſours ſhall not. When Shimei curſed David, he ſayd, Goe thou bloody man, thou Son of Belial (2 Sam. 16.7, 8.) He calls him bloody man, in reference to that particular act, with which David had ſtained his hands, the murder of Ʋriah. (Hab. 2.12.) Woe to him that buildeth a Towne with blood, that ſtabliſheth a City with iniquity; that is, By the iniquity of oppreſſion: Hee builds with blood, who to ſet his owne neſt on high, throwes downe the right, or takes away the lives of others. Under this third, as alſo the ſecond notion of blood, wee may beſt interpret Jobs imprecation, O earth, cover not thou my blood: that is, The oppreſſions and cruelties which I have committed, if I have committed any. Some conceive that Job referrs to the ſtory of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4.10.) The earth would not cover Cains blood; that is, the blood of Abel which Cain had ſpilt. Eliphaz told Job before in a third perſon, that his Tabernacle was a Tabernacle of bribery; as much as to ſay, That hee had done wrong in his place,Si quam caedem maleficiumvè quod objicitis patravi, illud revelet & teſtificetur terra. Jun. O Tellus ne celes ſcelera mea capitalia. Tygur. and had been a grinder of the faces of the poore. Now ſaith Job, O earth, cover not my blood, if I have been an oppreſſour, if I have drank the blood of the poore, or am guilty of ſuch like abominations, I deſire that the earth would not cover, or diſſemble it, but let it be publiſhed to my ſhame, and brought forth to my judgement. Maſter Broughtons note is full to this ſenſe, If there be any injury in my hands, let the earth reveale it. And the Tygurine, O earth doe not conceale my capitall crimes.

The ſecond branch of the imprecation fals croſſe to this; for in this Job prayes, that his evill deeds might be diſcovered, in that he prays that his very prayers (which were his beſt deeds) might not be accepted, if he had eyther been, or done as was ſuſpected.

p. 351And let my cry have no place.

The word ſignifies a loud cry, a greevous cry, the cry of a man extreamely preſſed; yea, even utterly oppreſt: This cry is expounded three wayes.

Firſt, For the very cry of griefe, or for a cry cauſed meerly by griefe. Let my cry have no place; that is, Let not my paines and ſorrows, my groanes and ſighes, in midſt of all theſe evills be regarded, either by God or Men, if I have done ſuch evils as I am accuſed of. 'Tis a great affliction which puts a man to his cry, whether to God or Man; but it is a greater affliction to cry and not to be heard, neither by God nor man: The cry of a poore man is then ſaid to have no place with a Judge, when he will not heare it, or take notice of it.

Secondly, Others expound this for the cry of ſin. Great ſins are called a cry, not onelyonly becauſe they make others cry, but becauſe themſelves are very clamarous and crying.Clamat quia innocens effuſus eſt, & dicitur inter pellare dominum, non proſecutione Eloquii ſed indignitate commiſſi. Ambroſ. Sin hath a tongue to ſpeake, and it hath teeth to bite: every ſin ſpeakes, but ſome ſins have a loud voice, they cry, The blood of thy Brother which thou haſt ſpilt, cryes unto me (ſaith God to Cain, Gen. 4.10.) The ſin of Sodome cryed up to Heaven (Gen. 18.20.) Oppreſſion cauſeth a cry; ſo here, Let my cry, that is, my crying ſins, or the cry of my ſins, have no place; that is, none to hide, or ſhelter themſelves in: And then this clauſe of the imprecation is of the ſame ſenſe with the former, O earth, cover not thou my blood.

Thirdly, By this cry we may underſtand Jobs prayer, and that of two ſorts: Firſt, Prayers, Petitions, or complaints to men; let not any Freind regard my cry. Secondly, Prayers to God; for as there are crying ſins, ſo there are crying prayers, The Lord ſayd to Moſes, Wherefore cryeſt thou unto mee (Exod. 14.15.) Aſa cryed unto the Lord (2 Chron. 14.) The Ninevites were commanded to cry mightily to God (John 3.8.) and Chriſt himſelfe prayed with ſtrong cryes (Heb. 5.7.) As there are two things eſpecially which make ſins crying ſins,

Firſt, When they are earneſtly committed.

Secondly, When they are conſtantly committed.

So two things make prayers crying prayers,

p. 352Firſt, When we pray with earneſtneſſe.

Secondly, When we pray with continuance, or perſeverance.

Ne in Caelum efferatur ſuſcipiaturce clamor meus ſi ſim e…ſmodi. Jun.We find David often crying to God in prayer; ſo that, when Job ſaith, Let my cry have no place, his meaning is, Let not God hear my moſt earneſt prayer: A dreadfull imprecation! When wee who have no helpe on earth, ſhall wiſh that we may have none in Heaven neither; what can wee wiſh worſe to our ſelves then this?

From the words in generall, Obſerve.

It is lawfull to uſe imprecations.

Job did not ſin in this; There are imprecations of two ſorts.

Firſt, Upon others, when we wiſh them evill, or curſe them; this in ſome rare caſes may be done, David uſeth imprecations againſt the incorrigible enemies of the Church, and ſo may we; but in reference to perſonall injuries, the Goſpel-rule is, Bleſſe them that curſe you, pray for them that deſpitefully uſe you (Matth. 5.44.)

Secondly, Upon our ſelves; ſuch are the imprecations intended in this point. Job cals downe miſcheife upon his owne head, in both parts of the Verſe, Let all my ſins be diſcovered, let all my prayers be refuſed, if ever I have done this thing. Imprecations, or wiſhes of evill upon our ſelves may proceed upon a double ground.

Firſt, For the aſſuring of what we promiſe, or engage our ſelves to doe: As to ſay, I will doe ſuch a thing, or I promiſe to doe it; if I doe it not, I wiſh evill may befall me: This is to put our ſelves under a curſe, which we doe at leaſt implicitely in taking any promiſſory Oath. There are two ſorts of Oaths.

Firſt, Aſſertory Oaths, when we affirme ſuch a thing to be true.

Secondly, Promiſſory Oaths, when wee promiſe to doe ſuch a thing, calling God to witneſſe, and laying our ſelves under a penalty, if we doe it not. This is expreſſed in ſome, and implyed in all ſolemne Oaths and Covenants. The preſent point extends not to this ſort of imprecations.

Secondly, Imprecations of penall evills may be uſed for the ſtronger deniall, or diſavowing of any ſinfull evill, of which we are ſuſpected, or with which we are directly charged. p. 353To this ſort of imprecations the preſent point is confined: This was Jobs caſe, he was deeply charged to have done wickedly, and he as deeply denied that he had done ſo. Thus David imprecates evill upon himſelfe (Pſal. 7.3, 4, 5.) The title of the Pſalme ſhewes the occaſion of it. Shiggaion of David (that is, Davids variable, or delightfull ſong, or Davids ſolace) concerning the words of Cuſh the Benjamite: that is, either of Saul himſelfe, whoſe ill diſpoſition towards him, he cloſely taxeth under the word Cuſh, which ſignifies a Blackmoore, or Aethiopian; or it may deſigne ſome of Sauls Courtiers, who had done ill offices to David, and accuſed him of a conſpiracie, to take away Sauls life, as appeares (1 Sam. 24.9.) And David ſayd to Saul, Wherefore heareſt thou mens words, ſaying, Behold David ſeeketh thy hurt. Now David compoſed this Pſalme in his owne vindication, and feares not to call downe vengeance upon his owne head, if he were guilty. O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there be iniquity in my hands (that is, this iniquitie, if I have done this) If I have rewarded evill to him that was at peace with me (what then? Hee imprecates) Let mine enemy perſecute my ſoule and take it, yea let him tread my life downe to the earth, and lay mine honour in the duſt. David laies all at ſtake, ſoule, and life, and honour, in the higheſt actings of holineſſe towards God, and integritie towards man. He that is in Davids caſe, and hath Davids conſcience, may doe the like and feare no hurt. The Woman ſuſpected of Adultery was by the Law (Num. 5.) to imprecate, and wiſh evill on her ſelfe, if ſhee did not ſpeake true in denying it: For the Prieſt was commanded to bring the Woman, and to put the offering on her head, and then to give her the water of jealouſie to drink, ſaying, This water which cauſeth the curſe, ſhall goe into thy bowels, to make thy belly to ſwell, and thy thigh to rot; and the Woman was to anſwer, Amen, Amen: As if ſhee had ſaid, I pray God this miſery may come upon me, in caſe I have been falſe, or unfaithfull to my Husband. Thus the Woman confirmed the curſe, and tooke it upon her ſelfe, if ſhee were defiled: or teſtified her Faith in God, that he would cleare her innocencie, ſhee being not defiled; and therefore the word Amen was doubled.

And here it will not be impertinent to remember how the ſuperſtitious heart of man hath in times of former ignorance p. 354and darkneſſe invented and adventured upon wayes of tryall in doubtfull caſes, with ſome reſemblance to (poſſibly in imitation of) this appointment of God among the Jewes.

Verſteg: Reſtitut. of decayed Intal. in Antiq. Chap. 3^d.The old Saxons had their Ordeal, which word ſignifies, Due part, or Dome and Judgement: There were foure ſorts of Ordeal, by which when manifeſt proofes were wanting, they attempted (or indeed tempted God) to finde out whether the party accuſed were guilty, or guiltleſſe.

The firſt was by Combat, in which the perſon accuſing offered with the perill of his life at any weapon, to prove his accuſation: and if the perſon accuſed did refuſe the challenge, or did either yeeld, or was ſlaine in the fight, he was without further evidence adjudged culpable.

The ſecond was by Fire, in which the perſon accuſed were to take red hot Iron in their bare hands, or to go bare-foot and blindfold where red hot Irons were layd, and if they did either ſtep between them, or ſtepping upon them, felt no harme; this was a declaration of innocency.

The third tryall was made by Hot boyling water, into which if the perſon ſuſpected thruſting his naked Arme, ſound no evill effects, he was pronounced guiltleſſe.

The fourth was by cold water, into which perſons accuſed, having a coard tyed about them, were caſt, and if they ſunke to the bottome, and continued a little there, till they were drawne up, they were held faultleſſe; all theſe tryalls were made with prayer and invocation upon the name of God, that the truth might be made knowne.

Theſe cuſtomes drew their firſt breath from Paganiſme, and were continued by ſome who profeſſed Chriſtianity, till clearer light convinced them of their vanitie, and unwarrantable boldneſſe with the Name of God.

Now, as all imprecations uſed with theſe or the like Ceremonies and circumſtances invented by man are wicked and unlawfull; ſo thoſe which are in themſelves lawfull, are uſed by moſt, unlawfully. And therefore I ſhall give ſome rules, and bounds beyond which we may not paſſe, without ſinfull preſumption.

Firſt, An imprecation muſt be uſed onelyonly in very great, ſerious, and weighty matters: Woe to thoſe who wiſh evill on, or curſe themſelves about trifles; ſome have been heard to wiſh themſelves p. 355Hanged, yea Damned, upon ſmall occaſions.

Secondly, It is not enough that the matter be great, and …erious, unleſſe it be done with ſerious deliberation, and ſelf…xamination, as alſo with higheſt reverence of God, who …nowes our hearts, and will judge both our wayes and …ords.

Thirdly, It muſt be done with a deſire to honour God, as …uch as to exonerate our ſelves; David knew Gods Name …as blaſphemed by thoſe who misjudged him, Here's a man …hat would be thought ſo holy, and religious before God; ſee how perfidious and diſloyall he is to his King. When David ſaw the honour of God concerned in him; He was bold to ſay, Lord if I have done this thing, let him perſecute my life and take it, he hath perſecuted my life, but he could not take it hitherto; but let him take it, if this be ſo.

Fourthly, Be ſure that you are cleare in the matter, and that you imprecate in truth; God is an avenger of falſhood, much more of ſtudied falſhood. It is hard to deprecate his wrath, when we have ſpoken falſly, ſurely then he will poure out his wrath upon their heads, who imprecate it, to cover their falſhood. The Jewes accuſed Chriſt falſly, and as earneſtly prayed judgement againſt him, crying out to the Judge, Let him be crucified; But when they ſaw they could not prevaile with importunity, and that Pilate (who was doubtfull of the juſtice of their clamour) tooke water, and waſhed his hands, and ſaid, Behold I am free from the blood of this man; then in a rage they imprecate, Let his blood be upon us and upon our Children (Matth. 27.25.) As if they had ſaid, Be not thou ſo ſcrupulous to condemne him, if thou thinkeſt him innocent, let the vengeance of his innocent blood, fall upon us and our poſterity. When a man is accuſed rightly, and the Judge reſts unſatisfied, the accuſer may ſay to ſatisfie the Judge, Let his blood be upon my head; I have ſpoke my conſcience, and the truth. The Jewes accuſed Chriſt falſely, yet called for his blood upon their heads; therefore God gave them their wicked wiſh, and they lye under the weight of this imprecation to this very day: they prayed that the blood of Chriſt might be upon them, and it is upon them. As God poures the blood of Chriſt upon ſome in mercy, ſo upon others in wrath. The blood of Chriſt is upon Beleevers, to waſh and cleanſe them p. 356from their ſins, but the blood of Chriſt hath been upon the Jewes to condemne and ſcatter them, as a vile people, all the World over for their ſin: The Lord hath been moſt exact in anſwering this cry, even in the very place where they made it. The Hiſtory of the Jewes reports that about thirty eight years after this dreadfull curſe upon themſelves, Herod called the Jewes together, and demanded a ſumm of Money of them for making a water-courſe, which they refuſing to give, he ſent for Souldiers to come ſecretly armed, who ſlew great multitudes of them in that place, where they cryed, Let his blood be upon us, &c. At another time Florus, who was Generall of the Common Souldiers, made a ſecond, and that a more bloody maſſacre of them there. And when Jeruſalem was taken by Veſpaſian, the blood of Chriſt was powred upon the heads of many hundred thouſands, who were ſlaine by Fire and Sword, Famine and Peſtilence; beſides more then ſeven thouſand of them, who were led Captive: And the Story informes us further, that Caeſar ſold the younger and common ſort of thoſe Captives at that contemptible rate of thirty a penny; as they or their Fathers ſold Chriſt for thirty pence, ſo by the juſt judgement of God thirty of them were ſold for a penny. There was never any people in the World, who taſted more juſtly, or more deeply of that cup of ſelf-curſing then the Jews have done; yet many perſons have taſted deeply of it too beſides the Jewes. This ſin hath ſo much, not only of wickedneſſe, but boldneſſe in it, that God never lets it goe altogether unpuniſhed, though (being repented of) it may be pardoned. Maſter Perkins, in his Booke of the right government of the tongue, touching upon this point, tels us of certaine Engliſh Souldiers in the time of King Edward the ſixth, who were caſt upon the French ſhore by a ſtorme; in which ſtreſſe they went to prayer, that they might be delivered; but one Souldier in ſtead of praying, cryed out, Gallowes take thy right, or claime thy due; and when hee came home he was hanged indeed. Maſter Fox, in his Booke of Acts and Monuments, hath a notable example to this purpoſe, of one John Peters, Keeper of Newgate, who was wont at every ordinary thing he ſpoke (whether it were true or falſe, it made (with him) no great matter) to averr it with this imprecation, if it be not ſo, I pray God I may rot before I dye; p. 357and ſo it came to paſſe. I might give many ſuch inſtances of raſh imprecations which God hath followed with ſevereſt vengeance: I ſhall add one more which is freſh in the memory of many yet living, of a Gentleman of quality, a Knight, Sir Gervaiſe Ellowayes.that ſuffered at the Tower-hill, about the death of Sir Thomas Overburie, who confeſſed it was juſt with God that hee ſhould undergoe that ignominious death; for oft in Gaming (ſayd he) I have uſed this wiſh, I pray God I be hanged if it be not ſo. I wil conclude this point with a neerer inſtance, A Woman who accidentally came into the Congregation while this word was Preached, did afterwards by writing certifie me, that ſhee being convinced in conſcience of her ſin in wiſhing evill upon her ſelfe, thereby to cover a ſin, which ſhee had committed, but denyed, did feele the ſad effects of it according to her wiſh, begging earneſt prayers that it might be forgive… her, and that God would be entreated to take off his hand.

Let thoſe wretches heare and feare, and doe no more ſo preſumptuouſly, who feare not to wiſh, The Devill take them, and God damne them, leſt indeed God let the Devill looſe upon them, and take them at their word. And here it may be obſerved, that ſuch as are moſt guilty, are moſt apt to imprecate vengeance upon themſelves, that they may appeare guiltleſſe. They have no way left to perſwade others, that they are good, or have not done evill, but by wiſhing evill to themſelves. Such is the ſtupidity of a miſled conſcience, that when it is deepeſt in ſin, it dares defie Gods juſtice to gaine an opinion among men, of its owne innocency.

O earth, cover not thou my bloood.

More particularly Obſerve.

Great ſins, bloody ſins, eſpecially this ſin of ſhedding innocent blood, ſhall not paſſe undiſcovered.

God will give a tongue to the earth, he will make ſpeechleſſe creatures ſpeak, rather then blood ſhall be concealed. Blood may be concealed a long time, but blood ſhall not alwayes be concealed (Gen. 4.7.) What haſt thou done? The voyce of thy Brethers blood cryeth to me from the ground: The blood had no voyce, and the ground was ſilent; blood hath no more voyce of its owne, then water hath, or then a Fiſh that lives in the water hath; theſe did not ſpeake formally: but the Lord ſpeakes thus to ſhew that hee will certainely bring p. 358bloody ſins, chiefely the ſin of blood, to light. The juſtice of God in all Ages hath ſent out his Writ of enquirie after bloody men, and for the blood of the innocent (Pſal. 9.12.) When he maketh inquiſition for blood, he remembreth them, he forgetteth not the cry of the poore.

But doth not the Lord make inquiſition for all ſin? Or is there any ſin that God doth not enquire after?

Surely no, there was never any ſin committed in the World, but the Lord inquired hath after it, ſin ſhal not be loſt, God wil finde it out, and keep it upon record: But when it is ſayd, God makes inquiſition for blood, it argues the greatneſſe of that ſin: For while that act of God which extendeth to every ſin, is appropriated to ſome one particular ſin; it is an argument that God takes ſpeciall no…ice of it, or that it is a very provoking ſin: Though God makes inquiſition for all ſin, yet as if he would let all other ſins paſſe unſought, and un enquired after, it is ſayd onelyonly of this ſin, that he makes inquiſition for it▪ we finde not the like expreſſion about any other particular ſin in all the Book of God; though it be a truth, that hee enquires for all ſin.

Thirdly, Obſerve.

O earth, cover not thou my blood.

Innocency feares no diſcovery.

Come who will, Angels from Heaven, Devils from Hell, Men on Earth, let all creatures be ſummoned into one Jury of grand Inqueſt, an innocent perſon will neyther run nor hide his head for it: He whoſe heart beares witneſſe with him, feares no witneſſe that can be brought againſt him. While conſcience acquits, the matter is not much who accuſeth, or condemnes: He that is righteous knowes that all his ſins are covered by the freegrace of God in the righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt; and he knowes that he hath not covered his ſin as Adam by excuſes, nor ſewed the Fig-leaves of carnall reaſonings together, to hide his nakedneſſe; he knowes alſo that he lives not in any knowne ſin, nor hath wickedly departed from the Lord. Now becauſe in all theſe reſpects he knowes nothing by himſelfe, therefore he cares not who knows him; he cals not for Masks, or Viſors, for Curtaines, or coverings, to obſcure or diſguiſe himſelfe, or his actions under, eyther p. 359from the ſight of God or man, but is willing to ſtand forth in the open light. For though the beſt of men may have done ſome act, which is not fit for the open light, yet conſidering the whole frame of their hearts and lives towards God, together with what hath paſt betweene God and their ſoules about that act; they are not afrayd that the worſt act which ever they have done ſhould ſtand forth in the open light; and as for thoſe crimes which men uncharitably charge upon them, every honeſt heart ſpeakes boldly the ſenſe of this firſt part of Jobs imprecation, O earth, cover not thou my blood.

From the ſecond branch of Jobs imprecation, Let my cry have no place.

Obſerve.

Not to have prayer heard and accepted by God, is the greateſt miſery that can befall man.

God is the laſt refuge of a diſtreſſed ſoule, and the meanes by which we make God our refuge, or flye to him for refuge, is beleeving, and ſervent prayer: Prayer is a duty, and yet it is a priviledge, it is a priviledge, not onelyonly to receive an anſwer of prayer, but to put up our requeſts in prayer; he therefore that askes a ſtop upon his owne prayers, hath at once asked a ſtop upon all his mercies; he cannot looke to be releeved, who tells God he doth not looke to be heard; and when prayer hath no place of acceptance in Heaven, wee can have no place of contentment on the Earth: Upon this account we may conclude:

That,

Man cannot beſpeake any thing worſe for himſelfe, then not to be heard when he ſpeakes to God. As it is one of the higheſt honours done to God that men make prayers to him, ſo it is one of the deepeſt afflictions of man, for God not to heare his prayers: Such was Sauls condition (2 Sam. 28.) God doth not anſwer me, neither by dreames, nor by Ʋrim, nor by Prophets: He could get no anſwer from God, his cry had no place: This troubled him more then the invaſion of the Philiſtims. I am ſore diſtreſſed (ſaith he) the Philiſtims make Warr upon me, and God is departed from me. When trouble comes, and God goes away, man is in a wofull eſtate. We have no promiſe to receive unleſſe we aske, and though we doe aske, wee cannot receive, unleſſe our prayer be received: God receives p. 360the prayer of man, before man receives any thing from God in prayer. All our treaſure lies in Heaven, our comfort is in Heaven, our protection is in Heaven; and prayer is the meſſenger which we ſend to Heaven in the name of Chriſt for all things, or, for whatſoever elſe we need on earth. Now if prayer cannot get in, if God will not heare prayer, if hee ſend back our meſſenger without audience, what can wee receive?

The ſinfulneſſe of man appeares in nothing, more then in this, That he calleth not upon God (Pſal. 14.4.) Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? Who eate up my people as they eate bread, and call not upon the Lord: Now as the ſin of man appeares exceedingly in not calling upon God, ſo the wrath of God appeares exceedingly in not hearing man when he cals (Prov. 1.20.) Then ſhall they call upon me, but I will not anſwer, they ſhall ſeeke me early, but they ſhall not finde me. God will powre out wrath upon the Families that call not upon his name (Jer. 10.25.) but hee powres out moſt wrath upon thoſe Families whom he heares not, when they call upon his name. All our mercies are ſhut out at once, when prayer is ſhut out: nor ſhall that perſon have any place or roome in Gods heart, whoſe cry hath no place in his eare.

Holy Job was ſenſible enough of this, nor durſt hee have imprecated, that his cry ſhould have no place, but that (being conſcious of no evill) hee was aſſured that his cry had place; and therefore as in the ſincerity of his ſoule he made that imprecation, ſo in the confidence of his ſoule, he proceeds to make his Appeale to God in the next words.

Verſ. 19. Alſo now, behold my witneſſe is in Heaven, and my record is on high.

As if he had ſayd, I feare no evidence that can be brought againſt me on earth, and I rejoyce in the witneſſe I have in Heaven: though I have none to teſtifie for me here, yet I have one that will teſtifie for me above: My witneſſe is in Heaven, and my record is on high.Ʋtitur teſtificatione caeli poſtquam terrae teſtimonium produxit. Eugub.

Some conceive, that as Job had ſpoken to the earth before, ſo now he ſpeakes to Heaven, O earth, cover not my blood: O Heaven witneſſe for me. But he ſaith not my witneſſe is Heaven, but my witneſſe is in Heaven; nor doth he call the Heavens p. 361to witneſſe for him, but he cals him who is in Heaven to witneſſe, and that is God.

There are two branches of this appeal,Idem bis dicit conſcientiae ſuae integrae declarandae cauſa. Lavat. foreign Synonymum eſt foreign Hieron in Trad. and they both intend the ſame thing, My witneſſe is in Heaven, and my record is on high. The words witneſſe and record, are of the ſame ſignification, though they differ in the letter: The one is properly an Hebrew word, and the other Syriack: When Jacob and Laban were in that conteſt (Gen. 31.47.) Jacob tooke a Stone, and ſet up a Pillar for a witneſſe, And Jacob ſayd to his Brethren, Gather ſtones, and they made an heape, and they did eate there upon the heap, and Laban called it Jegar-ſahadatha, that is, a heap of witneſſes (as it is in the Margin) but Jacob called it Galeed, or Gilead: Jacob ſpeaking the pure Hebrew, and Laban the Syriack language, they take in both the words of Jobs appeale, My witneſſe is in Heaven, my record is on high.Eſt forma juramenti, quo deum invocat innocentiae ſuae teſtem atque conſcientiae ſpectatorem. Cajet.

Job ſpeakes the ſame thing twice, to ſhew how ſtrongly he beleeved that the Lord would be witneſſe for him, My witneſſe is in Heaven, my record is on high.

Heaven and high are the ſame, as witneſſe and record are. And when he ſaith, on high, or in the high place; he uſeth not the word Bamoth by which thoſe high places are expreſſed,foreign In excelſis, malimin altiſſimis, quia excelſa vocantur quae Ebraeis foreign in quibus ſacrificabant idolis. Caeterum foreign proprie de Deo uſurpatur & de caelo, de Deo in ſingulari numero, de caelo in utroque Druſ. Dicitur Deus teſtis in excelſis propter locum aptiſſimum ad contemplandum tanquam in ſublimi ſpecula quicquid agitur. Pined. wherein the falſe gods were worſhipped, or the true God falſely: Job puts that word into his appeale, which belongs properly to God, and ſignifies in Scripture, the place of his glorious reſidence. Jobs record was not onelyonly on high, but (Bemerumim, the Hebrew is Plurall) in the heights; Some tranſlate it in the Superlative, not (in excelſis) on high, but (in altiſſimis) in the higheſts: As if he had ſayd, My witneſſe is above all witneſſes, and therefore he is a witneſſe above all exception. And Job did well, for his purpoſe, to ſay his record was on high; not onelyonly becauſe of the dignity of that which is high, but for the advantage which hee hath, who is on high, or in the higheſt to be a witneſſe. God is ſayd to be a witneſſe in Heaven, or on high, to ſhew how eaſily he can obſerve and take notice of thoſe things which are below: God hath eyes infinitely pure and piercing, he beholds all things, and hee beholds them from on high as from a watch-tower, which renders the object more obvious to the eye: The ſight is ſoone intercepted upon a levell: but, The Lord (ſaith David, Pſal. 14.2.) looked downe from Heaven upon the children of men, to ſee p. 362if there were any that did underſtand and ſeeke God: If but one had ſought God, God had found him out; but the report which he makes upon that ſurveigh, tels us, They are all gone aſide, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doth good, no not one (Verſ. 3.)

Further he ſaith, My witneſſe is in Heaven, or on high, implying, that he was ſuch a witneſſe as was able to protect him; a witneſſe who is above all feare, and who needs no favour. Some witneſſes are not onelyonly men of no ſtate, but of no conſcience, Such underlings will be hirelings upon Oath againſt the truth, and are ready to teſtifie any thing for hope of gaine, or for feare of a frown, My witneſſe (ſaith Job) is in Heaven, my record is on high; ſuch a witneſſe he is as cannot be corrupted by gifts, ſuch as hath no need of any mans gifts, ſeeing he gives to all men life and breath, and all things.

Hence Obſerve.

Firſt, That as God is the Judge of all men, ſo hee is their witneſſe.

God is the Judge of all the earth, and God is the witneſſe of all the earth too (Jer. 29.23.) Becauſe they have committed villanie in Iſrael, and have committed adultery with their neighbours Wives, and have ſpoken lying words in my name, that I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witneſſe ſaith the Lord: Hee ſaith not, I know, and am Judge; but I know, and am witneſſe.

Let no man hope to eſcape the judgement of God, becauſe there is none to witneſſe againſt him: for if God hath not the witneſſe of man, if our ſin be a ſecret to all the World, yet God hath alwayes two witneſſes.

Firſt, Our owne conſcience.

Secondly, Himſelfe.

An earthly Judge muſt not be a witneſſe; his duty is to give ſentence, not to give evidence; hee muſt determine according to what is alleaged, and proved upon teſtimony given; but he cannot give teſtimony; he cannot be Judge and Party too: But God is ſo tranſcendently Soveraigne, that hee is both Judge and Partie, he pronounceth ſentence, and gives in evidence; Chriſt is called, The faithfull, and the true witneſſe (Revel. 3.14.) And yet, All judgement is given into his hand (John. 5.22, 27.) God judgeth upon his owne knowledge, p. 363not upon the knowledge of others, and therefore as there can be no fayling in, ſo no avoyding of, his judgement.

Secondly, Obſerve.

It is lawfull to appeale to God, or to take God to witneſſe.

An Oath is the calling of God to witneſſe, and whenſoever we appeale to God, or call him to witneſſe, it is an Oath. The Apoſtle Paul tooke an Oath, when he ſayd (Rom. 1.9.) God is my witneſſe, whom I ſerve with my ſpirit in the Goſpel of his Son, that without ceaſing I make mention of you in my prayers. Thus in higheſt holineſſe he ſware that he prayed for the Romans ſpirituall good, while he was abſent from them, and had never ſo much as ſeene them; and that he paſſionately deſired to be preſent with them, and ſee them, that hee might impart unto them ſome ſpirituall gift: Becauſe being a meere ſtranger, he had not yet made his actions a witneſſe of his love to them, and becauſe no man can be an unerring witneſſe of another mans heart, or of the moving of his affections, therefore he calls God to witneſſe, who alone knowes the heart, and can tell how much we love eyther himſelfe, or one another.

He ſpeakes as much (though in another caſe) to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 1.23.) Moreover I call God for a record upon my ſoule, that to ſpare you, I came not as yet unto Corinth. As if he had ſayd, By this my earneſt adjuration, I aſſure you, that the reaſon why I have deferred my comming to you, was not from any levity of minde, or change of purpoſe in me, but onelyonly becauſe I was unwilling to uſe ſuch ſeverity as the diſtempers among you call for, and would have preſſed mee unto being preſent. We find him in the ſame tenour of ſpeech towards the Philippians (Chap. 1.8.) For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Chriſt; that is, I call God to witneſſe, I love you: And againe (1 Theſ. 2.5.) Neyther at any time uſed wee flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak of covetouſneſſe, God is witneſſe: As if he had ſayd, Had I uſed flattering words, you might witneſſe it; and that I have not uſed a cloake of covetouſneſſe, God is witneſſe. I might have worne a cloak of covetouſneſſe ſo cloſely, that you could not have ſeene it, but God could; he can judge through the darkeſt clouds, and ſee through the thickeſt cloaks and coverings but I appeale to him whether I have put on ſuch a cloake, p. 364or no. As Paul by Oath purged himſelfe from covetouſneſſe of ſpirit; ſo Abraham proteſted by Oath againſt all covetous practices (Gen. 14.22.) I have lifted up mine hand to the moſt high God, the poſſeſſour of Heaven and Earth, that I will not take any thing that is thine. This geſture of lifting up the hand when an Oath is taken, is there put for an Oath it ſelfe; by which Abraham appealed to God as a witneſſe of his ſincere intentions in taking up thoſe Armes for the reſcue of his Nephew Lot, and that as he had overcome his Enemies, ſo he had overcome covetouſneſſe, which was, of the two, the farr more noble victory.

This calling of God to witneſſe, is of two ſorts.

Firſt, When wee are called by others, who have lawfull power, to teſtifie the truth; ſuch is ſwearing before a Magiſtrate.

Secondly, When we offer it our ſelves, for the removall of ſuch jealouſies as are caſt upon us, and wee have no other way left, to free, or vindicate our ſelves from.

This latter was the occaſion of Jobs Oath, as alſo of thoſe alleadged concerning Paul and Abraham: but whether it be an Oath of the one ſort, or of the other, both meet in this, that God is appealed to, and called to witneſſe by ſuch as uſe them: and ſeeing he is a jealous God, who will not hold them guiltleſſe that take his name in vaine: I ſhall add ſome cautions for the bounding and directing of our practice.

Firſt, We may call God to witneſſe in weighty matters, and unleſſe the matter be weighty, eyther in it ſelfe, or in the conſequents of it, wee may not; God is my witneſſe, and God is my Judge, are not for common, much leſſe for vaine things. There are two things in every Oath or appeale to God which ſhew this.

Firſt, An Oath is for confirmation (Heb. 6.16.) vaine things are not worthy the mentioning, much leſſe are they worthy the confirming: we ought not to ſtrive at all about them, much leſſe ought we to ſweare about them, which is an end of all ſtrife.

Secondly, In every Oath or appeale to God, there is an invocation of the Name of God; but the name of God muſt not be taken in vaine, which it cannot but be, when it is taken into our mouthes about a vaine thing.

p. 365Secondly, We may call God to witneſſe when men give a wrong witneſſe of us, or will not give a right witneſſe for us; but if we can have teſtimony upon earth, wee muſt not goe to Heaven for it; God muſt be our laſt reſort. Job found none on earth to witneſſe for him, and his afflictions were looked upon as ſufficient witneſſes againſt him, and therefore he was neceſſitated to make his addreſſe to God.

Thirdly, When the matter is not onelyonly ſuch as others will not teſtifie, when they might, but ſuch as no man can teſtifie (none being privy to it, but onelyonly God and our owne ſoules) then wee have a juſt ground of appeale to God; who will bring to light the hidden things of darkneſſe, and will make manifeſt the counſels of the heart: Jobs ſincerity was ſuſpected; and that is ſuch a ſecret as man hath no acceſſe unto, and therefore can give no witneſſe to it: Who is ſincere, and who is an hypocrite, is reſolved onelyonly by the teſtimony of God, and of our owne ſoules.

Fourthly, We muſt be ſure to call God to witneſſe in truth, Thou ſhall ſweare the Lord liveth in truth, in righteouſneſſe, and in judgement (Jer. 4.2.) Ʋnleſſe we have a witneſſe within us, wee muſt not call God to witneſſe who is above us. God is ready to witneſſe with our conſciences; but woe to thoſe who call God to witneſſe againſt their conſciences. Holy Paul called God to record upon his ſoule (2 Cor. 1.23.) that is, He did as it were (which is alſo done in every Oath) engage, or pawne his ſoule and ſalvation upon it, that he ſpake the truth: When our ſoules beare record with us, we may venture to call God to record upon our ſoules. But ſome, when they have no witneſſe from their ſoules, yea when their ſoules witneſſe againſt them, will yet venture to call God to record upon their ſoules. They will needs be tryed by God, who dare not abide the juſt tryall of men; ſuch would make God (who cannot lye) witneſſe to a lye: They uſe the glorious God as ſome doe, a ſort of miſcreants, called Knights of the Poſt, who for a Fee, will not onelyonly ſay, but ſweare what you will. This is higheſt prophanation of the name of God: For as he that beleeves not the truth of God makes him a lyar; ſo alſo doth he that appeales to God for the witneſſe of an untruth.

More partiularly, My witneſſe is in Heaven, my record is on p. 366high. Job ſpeakes this, not onelyonly becauſe he wanted the witneſſe of men, but becauſe of the high eſteeme hee had of the witneſſe of God.

Hence Obſerve.

The witneſſe of God is the moſt deſir…ble witneſſe.

The witneſſe wee have on … is nothing worth, unleſſe we have a witneſſe in Heaven: I… we have not the inward witneſſe of our owne conſcience it is little advantage though we have a thouſand outward witneſſes: conſcience is more then a thouſand witneſſes, but God is more then ten thouſand conſciences: Therefore never reſt in any witneſſe, till you have the witneſſe of God. We labour (ſaith the Apoſtle, (2 Cor. 5.9.) and that word ſignifies not onelyonly an earneſt, or an induſtrious, but an ambitious labour) that whether preſent or abſent, we may be accepted of him: As if he had ſayd, Poſſibly we might gaine acceptation and applauſe among men, would wee but ſtudy to pleaſe and apply our ſelves to them; but the favour of men will not ſerve our turne, nor can we ſit downe and reſt our ſelves under their ſhadow. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy ſight, O Lord, was Davids prayer (Pſal. 19.14.) David could not beare it, that a word, or a thought of his ſhould miſſe acceptation with God: It did not ſatisfie him that his actions were vvell vvitneſſed unto by men on earth, unleſſe his very thoughts were witneſſed to by the Lord in Heaven.

Some, as it is ſayd of thoſe Rulers (John 12.42.) Love the praiſe of men more then the praiſe of God: So long as they have a record here below, they little regard his record who is on high. There is no greater argument of a carnall minde, then this. He that loves the praiſe, or teſtimony of men as much as he loves the praiſe or teſtimony of God, doth indeed love it more: Seeing there is nothing more unequall then an equall partition of our eſteeme betweene God and Man. Where our obligation unto two is unequall, wee can never be diſcharged by paying each of them an equall ſumm. We have cauſe to bleſſe God when we have vvitneſſe among men, but the witneſſe of men ſhould be of no price with us in compariſon of the witneſſe of God: Not onelyonly may wee have recourſe to the vvitneſſe of God, vvhen we cannot obtaine the witneſſe of men; but wee muſt preferr the ſingle witneſſe of p. 367God before a throng of humane witneſſes; and when wee have enough on earth, yet ſay with Job, My witnes is in Heaven. The witneſſe of the men of this world, or of evill men (while wee keepe a good conſcience) is a mercy. But as the witneſſe of good men is more deſireable, than the witneſſe of all other men, and the witneſſe of a good conſcience is more deſireable than the witneſſe of good men: ſo the vvitnes of God is more deſireable than (without which we cannot have it, and with which we ſhal have it) the witneſſe of a good conſcience.

For as the teſtimonie of God againſt us, is more terrible than that of our owne hearts (1 Joh. 3.20.) If our heart condemne us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things; and therefore knoweth more evill by us, and every evill more than our owne hearts doe: ſo the teſtimony of God for us is more comfortable, than that of our owne hearts. If our hearts acquit us, God is greater than our hearts, and knowing all things, he knoweth more good by us, and every good more than our owne hearts doe; who can expreſſe or tell how pleaſant it is to receive this teſtimonie from God, that wee pleaſe God. Behold (ſaith David, Pſal. 133.1.) how good and pleaſant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in unitie: But O how good and pleaſant a thing it is for God and man to dwell together in unitie; for man to be alwayes giving witneſſe to God, that he is good and gracious, and for God to be alwayes giving witneſſe to man, that he is upright, and righteous. When conſcience ſpeaks us fair, we have peace and a continual feaſt, but when God ſpeaks us faire, and gives us an euge from Heaven, Well done good and faithfull Servants, wee have peace which paſſeth all underſtanding, and not only a joyfull feaſt, but a feaſt of joyes, which are unſpeakable, and full of glory. Yea vvhen wee are at the fulleſt Tables of this world, this is the ſauce in our diſh, and the ſugar in our cup: Goe thy way (ſaith the Preacher, Eccl. 9.7.) eate thy bread with joy, and drinke thy wine with a merry heart; (why? what's the matter now)? For now God accepteth thy workes. Thou haſt a witneſſe in Heaven.

Thirdly, Obſerve;

A good man dares appeale and put his cauſe to God.

A wicked man will ſometimes appeale, and put his cauſe to God out of preſumption, and impudence: but a good man appeales to God in faith, and holy confidence.

p. 368As it is an act of grace or favour in God to receive an appeal from man: ſo it is an act not only of grace, but of courage in man, to make an appeale to God. It is an act of grace, as it is a part of the worſhipp of God, but it is an act of courage, or as I may call it, a daring worke, as it is a putting our ſelves under the juſtice of God, yea an implicit imprecating of the vengeance of God, in caſe wee ſpeake untrue: Thus to appeale or ſweare, is a daring worke, and ſuch as no man durſt doe (if he knew what he did) but in a good cauſe. It is a fearefull thing thus to fall into the hands of the living God. Some have ventured upon falſe oathes, and appeales to God, only for feare of men. Such ſay commonly, They had rather truſt God with their ſoules (by ſwearing falſely) then man with their eſtates, lives, or libertyes by confeſſing the truth. Which is not only as if a man ſhould flee from a Lyon, and a Bear ſhould meet, but infinitely more than if a man for feare of the biting of a Whippet or of the ſtinging of a Bee, ſhould willingly offer himſelf to the mouth of a Lyon, and to the ſting of a Serpent. To ſweare is not only to ſet our naked breaſts before the Cannons mouth, but with our owne mouthes to give fire to it, if wee utter falſhood.

Fourthly, Obſerve.

It is the joy and comfort of an upright heart, that there is a God in heaven who knowes his heart, and beares witneſſe of all his wayes.

It is the terrour of wicked men to thinke that there is a witneſſe in Heaven, and a record on high. Hypocrites may pretend they rejoyce, that God is their vvitneſſe, but its only a joy of the tongue, and from the teeth outwards, or to ſerve their turne: but an upright heart rejoyceth indeed at this, he riſeth every morning, and walks all the day long, and at night lyes downe and reſts upon this thought, God is my record, God is my witneſſe, he hath ſearched me, and knowne me,, he knoweth my down ſitting and my upriſing, he underſtands my thoughts, a farr off, he compaſſeth my path, and my lying downe, and is acquainted with all my wayes. In the mid'ſt of all the clamours, miſapprehenſions and miſ-judgings of men, it is an aboundant refreſhing and conſolation to the Saints, that there ſits one in heaven, who as he knowes them fully, ſo he judgeth all men rightly, and will render to every man according to his vvords.

p. 369Laſtly, conſider the place into which Jobs faith aſcended while he ſpeakes of God. My witneſſe is in Heaven, my record is on high. Who is in Heaven? who is on high? you may know whom he meanes when he ſaith, He that is in Heaven, he that is on high, though his name be not expreſt. There are Angels in Heaven, but they are nothing compared to God; there are the ſoules of juſt men departed, and made perfect, in heaven, but they are nothing compared to God: there's no name in heaven but God, God is all in all in heaven, and he ſhould take up all our hearts and thoughts while we are on earth, eſpecially when wee diſcourſe of heaven.

Hence obſerve,

Though God be every where, yet he is eſpecially in heaven.

God is upon the earth, yea God is in hell, If I make my Bed in hell thou art there (Pſal. 139.8.) yet when Job acts faith upon God, he ſaith not, I have a witneſſe on earth, but my witneſſe is in heaven (Pſal. 2.4.) He that ſitteth in heaven ſhall laugh, the Lord ſhall have them in deriſion. God doth not ſit as circumſcribed in heaven, but there the ſcripture deſcribes him ſitting, (Pſal. 123.1.) Ʋnto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwelleſt in the Heavens. Chriſt teacheth us to pray (Matth. 6.) Our Father which art in heaven, and when he himſelfe prayed, He lift up his eyes to Heaven, and ſaid Father the houre is come, glorifie thy Sonne, &c. (Joh. 17.1.) Jeſus Chriſt ſpeakes to God as in that place, and he ſpeaks of heaven as of a place, as of a ſpeciall and diſtinct place, to vvhichwhich he lifted up his eyes, when he prayed to his Father.

There is a new Divinity, which tels us, that Heaven is every place, and every place is Heaven: But why did Chriſt aſcend, why was he carryed up (Luke 24.51.) when he went to Heaven? If Heaven be every where, there's no need of aſcending to get into Heaven, and wee may as properly deſcend into Heaven as aſcend up to Heaven, if Heaven be every where.

Peter Martyr lying upon his death bed, and having many Freinds about him, diſcourſed ſweetly of Heaven and heavenly things: Bullenger ſtanding by, alleadged that of the Apoſtle (Phil. 3.20.) Our converſation is in Heaven: True ſayd the ſick man, it is in Heaven, but not in the Heaven of Brentius, Non in caelo Brentij, quod nuſquam eſt. Vit. P. Mart.which is no where. He that makes Heaven every where, makes it no where: Though God be in all places, and whereſoever p. 370God is, Heaven is, yet there is more in Heaven, then is common to all places. That's Heaven properly, where the glory of God ſhines moſt, and where there is the ſpeciall revealings of his honour and power; therefore it is called, The habitation of his holineſſe, and of his glory (Iſa. 63.15.) Heaven is (as we may ſpeake) the place of Gods glorious reſidence: This Heaven is not every where, for though God be every where, yet he doth not manifeſt himſelfe equally every where. God hath built Heaven (as that great Monarch, Dan. 4.3.) ſpake boaſtingly of Babylon, for the houſe of his Kingdome, and for the honour of his Majeſty. Quaſi a natura inſitam ſuiſſe opinionem Deum in caelo habitate aſſerit Ariſtoteles. lib. 1. de Anima cap. 3.A meere Naturaliſt hath told us, That this principle is ſtampt upon the nature of man, that God hath his dwelling place on high, or in Heaven. Heaven is ſo proper to God, that God is often (by a Metonimy) called Heaven in the holy Scriptures. Thy Kingdome (ſaith Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4.26.) ſhall be ſure unto thee, after that thou ſhalt have knowne, that the heavens doe rule: that is, When thou ſhalt be humbled and brought to this acknowledgement that the God whoſe Throne and dwelling place is in Heaven, ſits alſo upon all earthly Thrones, and is King in all the Kingdomes of Men. Chriſt puts the Queſtion to the Jewes (Matth. 21.25.) The baptiſme of John, Whence was it, from Heaven, or of Men? that is, Was it from God, or from Men? Was it a humane invention, or a Divine Inſtitution? The prodigall Son cryes out, Father I have ſinned againſt Heaven, and in thy ſight: that is, Both againſt my earthly, and heavenly Father. Some, becauſe theſe and the like Scriptures call God Heaven; and becauſe it is ſayd after the reſurrection (when all the Saints ſhall be gathered into Heaven) That God ſhall be all in all; upon theſe miſtakes, I ſay, they have run into that groſſe errour, That Heaven is God. But when the Scripture calls Heaven the habitation of God, the Throne of God, the City of God, the building of God, an houſe not made with hands; it cannot be but a perverting of Scripture and a throwing up of reaſon, to call it God, or to ſay that God and Heaven are the ſame. Nor doth it at all follow, that God is Heaven, becauſe God ſhall be all in all to us in Heaven. Paul was not teaching the Corinthians there what Heaven is, but wherein the happineſſe of the Saints ſhall conſiſt, when they ſhall all be called up to Heaven, after the generall reſurrection p. 371from the dead: Then Chriſt ſhall reſigne up his Kingdome (as Mediator) to his Father, then God ſhall be all in all, in All: that is, There will be no more need of a Mediator betweene God and Man; there will be no more need of Preaching, nor of making prayers, nor of uſing Seals. All the glaſſes through which we ſaw God, and the outward Ordinances, in which vve enjoyed God in this life ſhall be layd aſide, when vve ſee him face to face: and then God will be King, and Teacher, light and life, glory and happineſſe, to his Saints, immediately, and for ever.

'Tis granted, That Heaven is nothing to us without God, yet God is ſomething, yea he is infinitely more then Heaven. Solomon beſpeakes God thus in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple (1 Kings 8.27.) Behold the Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens cannot containe thee; how much leſſe this houſe that I have builded: If Heaven, even the Heaven of Heavens cannot containe God, then, it is not God. That which doth containe a thing, is not the thing contained, much leſſe is that which cannot containe a thing, the thing which it cannot containe.

Againe, that which Job cals heaven in one part of the verſe, he cals high in the other, My witneſſe is in Heaven, my record is on high. God dwels in the high and holy place (Iſai. 57.15.) And Chriſt after he had finiſhed the work of mans redemption is ſaid, To ſit downe on the right hand of the Majeſty on high. (Heb. 1.3.) This high place is the higheſt place, all that wee call Heaven is high, but all that wee call Heaven is not alike high. Heaven is a building of three Stories. The aire is called heaven: The fowles of the aire are ſaid to flye above the earth in the Firmament of heaven (Gen. 1.20.) The Clouds are called Heaven (Lev. 2.19.) I will make your Heaven as Iron, and your Earth as Braſſe: that is, I will make the clouds which are ſoft like Spunges hard like Iron, they ſhall not yeeld a drop of water, to refreſh the wearyed earth.

The ſecond Storie is the ſtarrie Heaven, where the Sun and Moon move, and where thoſe other glorious lights are ſet like golden ſtuds to adorne, comfort, and direct the World. His going for this from the end of Heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it (Pſal. 19.6.)

The third is called The habitation of God, the heaven of heavens, p. 372the third Heaven, the higheſt Heaven. The Apoſtle ſaith of Chriſt, that He aſcended farr above all Heavens (Epheſ. 4.10.) And yet he then aſcended into Heaven; the meaning is, Chriſt aſcended above all the viſible heavens, into that, which is inviſible to us who are on earth. This Heaven Job pointed at while he ſaid, My record is on high. Take foure deductions from it.

Firſt, If Heaven be higheſt, then there is nothing but ſerenety in Heaven: The higheſt places in a civill ſenſe, are full of ſtormes, and ſo are high places in a naturall ſenſe, but the higheſt places in nature are free from clouds, ſtormes, and vapours. Naturaliſts tell us of Olympus, a very high Mountaine, lifting up its head beyond the middle Region, whither no breath of winde ever comes: you may draw Letters and Figures in the Sand, and come many yeares after, and finde them no more ſtirred, then if they had been written in Marble; and if the higheſt places in nature are alwayes ſerene, how ſerene is the high place of glory? When you are once in Heaven, you are beyond, not onelyonly proper, but figurative ſtormes and winds for ever.

Secondly, Heaven is high, therefore it is a pure place. Every thing in nature, the more high it is, the more pure it is. Earth is the loweſt, and the groſſeſt of the Elements, the Water next to that, is more groſſe then the Ayre; the Ayre is more groſſe then the Fire, which Philoſophers call the higheſt of the Elements; The higher wee goe, the more purity wee finde; and when we are (in altiſſimis) at the higheſt, there is nothing but purity, perfect purity; there is not the leaſt mixture of droſſe, nor the leaſt ſpot of dirt in Heaven: Heaven is all pure, and none ſhall come thither but ſuch as are pure. Pure perſons are fit for a pure place and only they art fit: No uncleane thing ſhall enter there, and he that hath this hope (of entring there) purifies himſelfe, not onelyonly as Heaven is pure, but as God is pure, in whoſe ſight Heaven it ſelfe is impure (Chap. 15.15.)

Thirdly, Heaven is high, Then Heaven is a ſafe place. High places are ſecure places; the high places of the earth are ſo accounted; and when God promiſes ſafety to his people, he tels them they ſhall dwell on high, while they are here below. (Iſa. 33.16.) He ſhall dwell on high, his place of defence ſhall p. 373be the munition of rocks; and I will cauſe thee to ride upon the high places of the earth (Iſa. 58.14.) When thoſe builders of the Tower of Babell thought to make themſelves ſafe, they ſayd, Let us build a Towre whoſe top may reach to Heaven: If there ſhould come another flood, they hoped to be dry, and to get above the danger. Once in Heaven, and we are out of Gun-ſhott; not onelyonly beyond the reach of man, but of Devils too: They who are got into that high place, ſhall neyther feele, nor feare the Deſtroyer any more.

Fourthly, Heaven is a high place, then it is a large and capacious place: As a Sphericall, or round Figure, is the moſt capacious, ſo the utmoſt round of that Figure is the moſt capacious round; in Heaven there is roome enough; though we are crouded here, yet there we ſhall not. We may call Heaven (as Iſaac did the Well, about which there was no contention betweene his Herdmen, and the Herdmen of Gerar) Rehoboth, roome (Gen. 26.22.) In Heaven we ſhall not contend for roome; Chriſt aſſures us that in his Fathers houſe are many manſions (John 14.2.) He had ſayd before to his Diſciples (Chap. 13.33.) Whither I goe yee cannot come: And when Peter, troubled at this ſpeech, put the Queſtion (Verſ. 36.) Lord whither goeſt thou? Jeſus anſwered him, Whither I goe thou canſt not follow me now, but thou ſhalt follow me afterwards. Chriſt perceived his Diſciples more plunged in their ſpirits with this anſwer and promiſe to Peter: and therefore adds a prohibition of their feares, at the beginning of this Chapter, Let not your hearts be troubled, yee beleeve in God, beleeve alſo in me, in my Fathers houſe are many manſions: As if he had ſayd, Doe not thinke that I told you, yee cannot follow me now, and that Peter ſhall follow me afterwards, as if the place I goe to, were onelyonly large enough for me and Peter; for beleeve me, there are many manſions; I tell you not how many, neyther can they be told, but there are enow, not onelyonly for my ſelfe and Peter, but for you all; yea, for all thoſe, who eyther have, or ſhall beleeve on my Name; if it were not ſo, I would have told you, I would not delude you with vaine hopes, I am well acquainted with all the roomes in my Fathers houſe: and though when I came into the World for your ſakes, there was no roome in the Inn for me to be borne in, but a Stable among Beaſts, yet I will take care that when you come to my Fathers houſe, you ſhall not be ſtraitned for Quarters, I who am your Redeemer, will p. 374alſo be your Harbinger, I goe to prepare a place for you, and I am certaine my Fathers houſe will hold all his houſhold.

Tophet is prepared of old, it is deep and large (Iſa. 30.33.) Hell is large enough for a Priſon; there's roome for all the Children of diſobedience to lye bound for ever: But Heaven is large, as a Pallace, or as a Paradiſe; there's roome enough for all the heyres of promiſe, to walke at liberty for ever.